 |
| Photograph by J D Mack |
Figures compiled by the Howard League for Penal Reform suggest that the number of children arrested by the police has fallen by a third since 2008.
The figures, compiled through a freedom of information request to all 43 police forces in England and Wales, include more than 2,100 children aged 10 - which is the age of criminal responsibility - and 11.
The director of campaigns at the Howard League, Andrew Neilson, said a move away from a mandatory target system for police was likely to be the main reason for the third successive fall.
He said: "In 2008, the first year we have data for, the target culture was coming to an end.
"At that time, police services were being ranked on the number of arrests they were processing, and to a degree children were low-hanging fruit that helped the police reach their arrest targets.
"While some police services still use these targets informally, we are seeing a move back towards a discretion-led, common sense approach, and that's reflected in the figures.
"I suspect there are a lot of things that the police are doing to reduce arrests, ranging from restorative justice disposals to triage arrangements at police stations, where a youth offending team worker will interview a young person to see if there are any welfare issues."
No comments:
Post a Comment